Gas generating apparatus



July 14, 1931. rw, STEERE 1,813,970 GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 21, 19 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l) 14, 1931- F. w. STEERE 1,813,970

GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK W. STEERE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO SEMET-SOLVAY' ENGINEER- IN CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Application filed March 21, 1924. Serial No. 700,744.

In the operation of gas generators, and more particularly water gas generators, it is the general practice to employ a blower which is connected up with the bottom of the-generator, and during the air blowing period this blower is operative, but during the gas making part of the cycle of opera tion, the blower is shut down, or the blast valves closed, to prevent the air from the blower entering the generator. Large quantities of air for blowing the fuel bed are required for short periods of time, necessitating blowers of largecapacity which are only intermittently operated, thus making a very heavy load factor where current is purchased for operating the blower. Further, the blast piping connecting the blower or blowers with the water gas machine is expensive, due to its size and cost of installation and go a large amount of space is required for such piping. t

It is of common occurrence in the operation of water gas machines where intermittentblowing of the fuel bed is practiced",

26 for destructive explosions to take place due to leakage past the valve or valves between the generator and the blast line, or due to such valves being inadvertently left partially open, the. gas produced by the generator working back into the blast line and forming with the air therein, an explosive mixture which, when the blast is again turned on, is ignited in the generator, causing an explosion which does serious damage, and

In addition to supplying air to the bottom of the generator for the purpose of blowing the fuel bed to incandescence, it is also necessary to supply air to the top of the carburetor in a carbureted water gas set. A branch connection from the main blast line is therefor-e made to supply air to the carburetor, and this branch line is provided with a valve for shutting off the supply of air to the carburetor during certain periods of the cycle of operation, which branch connection with its valve is another source of danger from gas leaking past the valve in the branch from the carburetor and thus forming an exploin many cases completely wrecks the blowers.

sive mixture in the branch and. main blast lines. Most air blast pipe explosions are the result of gas leaking back from the carburetor rather than leakage into the blast line from the generator.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the danger of explosions in the operation of water gas generators and the like. A further object is the elimination of the possibility of explosion due to gas leaking back from the carburetor or from the base of the generator into the blast line, and further, to provide a construction wherein a blower unit of comparatively small capacitymay be employed and this unit operated continuously to provide a stored quantity of air under pressure, and providing an arrangement whereby the necessary volume of air will be introduced at the proper time into the machine by means of a comparatively small volume of air under pressure, thus obviating the necessity for blowers of large capacity to supply the intermittent demand of the generator. A further object of the present invention is to so introduce air under pressure into the carburetor, as to assist in the passage of air through the fuel bed in the generator, and thus shorten the time required for the blowing operation. It is also an object to provide blowing means, whereby the quantity of air supplied, both to the generator and the carburetor, may be accurately controlled, and whereby the internal pressurewithin the gas generating nhamber is reduced, thus increasing the rapidity of distillation and gasification, and creating a more favorable condition within the generator for rapid combustion and for passing the required volume of air through the fuel bed in the least possible time. It is also an object of the present invention to provide certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement of air blast and supply in the operation of gas generators.

The invention accordingly comprises a process and apparatus for making water gas employing a as making period in which steam is intro uced into the enerator and a blowing period wherein air for the blowing period is introduced into the set by intro izu ducing a comparatively small volume of air under high pressure and drawing in atmospheric air by the injective action of the high pressure ingoing air.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a water gas generating plant of the usual form and coin struction, and illustrating the application thereto of an embodiment ofthe present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

As illustrative of an application of the present invention, a water gas generating apparatus of an old and well known construction and arrangement and embodying the usual water gas generator A, carburetor B and'superheater C, is shown.

The upper end of the generator is connected to the upperend of the carburetor in the usual manner bythepipe connection D, and the lower end of the carburetor'is connected in the usual manner to the lower end of the superheater by means'ot the connection E. A pipe 'F leads from the top t the superheatertola water seal or "tar boX'G'and from thisboX thegas is conducted'away through the main H in the usual manner. The usual cap or valve I is providedfat the top of the superheater to control the outlet to the stack in the usualoperationofsets otthis character and what"iscoinmonly Known as a back run pipe J iscon nected to the pipe F and leads to'the lower end ot tl'ie generator itor'conductinggas back to the-generator below the fuel bed therein during certain periods in the cycle of operation, as is well known, all of these pipes being provided with the proper valves (not shown) for controlling the direction and flow therethrough 'in the usual manner.

Inthe operation of watergas generators,

there is a cycle of operation comprising a blowing period for raising the fuelloed within the generator toincandescence and a gas making period in which ste'arn is introduced into the generator and which follows the blewing period. A large volume of air under considerable pressure is necessary to properly blow'the generatorandit has'been the common practice to provide a blower unit of large capacity and directly connect this blower unit with the bottom of the generator by ofsutlicient size to supply thereqtiir'ed volume of air to the generator during the blowing period. During the water gas making period, this supply of air must be shut oil and 1 therefore the blower "unit operatio n is discontinued, thus makingithe operation ofthe blower intermittent. A blower of very large capacity is'therefore necessary to supply the required sl n of during 7 th e blowing period, thus 'increasl"rig the cost" of installation, both in the size of the generator and in the blast piping connection between t-he blower and the generator. Due to the size of blast piping required in order to supply the necessary volume of air, this piping takes up a considerable space in connection with a. gas generating plant of this character, and leakage of gas into this piping is always imminent with the consequent danger ofeXplo'sion and injury to the apparatus.

As illustrative of suitable means for supplying air to gas generating apparatus and which means is an embodiment of the present invention, an "air pump 1 of an old and Well known construction is illustrated, which air pump is arranged to discharge directly into an air tank 2 to supply air thereto under pressure, and as this air tank formsa holder for the air supplied by the-pump, said pump may becontinuously operated. Air is led to i the bottom of the generator A f rom this air tanln'through an air pipe Set comparatively small capacity, and this air pipem'ay have branches 4; and 5 leading to difi'e'rent points of inlet into the generator, anydes'irednum- 1 her of such inlets and branches being .provided. On the discharge endoteach branch pipe is a nozzle 6 which opens into the open end of a comparatively large inlet pipe 7 having a 'fiared "orconic'a l'shaped open outer end8 i'n to which the nozzle"pro'j ects,"and also provided with a'suitabl'eshut ott valve9 between the end'of the'nozzle and the generator.

When the blasting period of the 'cyc'leof operation is to take place, the valyes tljare opened and the 'full'pressu're chair from the t'ankQ discharges from the 'no zz le 6 longitu- 'din'ally of the inlet pipes 7 and into the lower end of the generator, this'in'coming jet ofair creating a suction 'within the inlet pipe and drawing in a'considerable volume of air through the open outer end of the pipe. These pipes 7 will be of 'siiflicient size to supply the necessary volume of-air for the purpose of blowingthfegenerator and raising the reel bet therein to incandescen oe. V

l Vith this arrangement a comparatively small volume of air under pressure is sutficient to operate on the injector principle "to supply the comparatively large volume-(5r air necessary, for the blo'wing"operation. The

In the'operation of'wate'rgas generating apparatus where a carburetor necessary part of the equipment, it is always necessary tointroduce info the'top of the-"earthen,

rib

1), said pipe 10 extending through the wall of the pipe and being provided upon its inner end with a nozzle 11 which is positioned at the center of the pipe D and extends longi tudinally thereof, with its open end directed toward the carburetor B. This pipe is provided with a suitable valve 12 by means of which the air may be shut off, and when it is desired that air be admitted to the top of the carburetor during the blasting period in the generator, this valve is opened and a jet of air is discharged longitudinally of the pipe into the top of the carburetor, creating a partial vacuum in the pipe D leading from the generator, and also in the top of the generator. Air is thus suppliedto the top of the carburetor, and at the same time, the blowing operation of the generator is greatly assisted by creating a partial vacuum or suction on the upper end of the generator, it being a well known fact that distillation processes and processes of gasification in general, take place much more rapidly under low pressures than under high pressures, other conditions being equal. The passage of the air blast through the fuel bed will therefore be accelerated, thus quickly bringing the fuel bed to incandescence and shortening the blowing period.

Should it be found that the air supplied by the nozzle 11 to the top of the carburetor is not sufficient, a branch pipe 13 may be provided with a nozzle 14: which-opens into the end of an inlet pipe 15 having a flared outer end 16 and provided witn a shut-off valve 17 providing an air injector similar to the air injectorsfor introducing air into the lower part of the generator, as previously de scribed. hen the valve 17 is opened, a jet of air will be introduced by the nozzle 14: into the upper end of the carburetor, and this jet will draw in the desired volume of air through the outer open end 14: of the pipe 15, supplying the necessary volume of air to the carburetor.

Obviously the present method of blowing water gas sets may be applied to various forms and constructions of such machines, other than the particular form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and any suitable form of blower or air pump, and piping arrangement may be employ-ed, either with or without the air storage or compression tank.

Such modifications as are expedient to'make the invention applicable to various types of apparatus, and such changes in the method and means for blowing gas machines as fall Within the scope of the appended claims, are contemplated, and I do not therefore, limit myself tothe construction or arrangement shown.

The term air as used in the specification is intended to include atmospheric air, air admixed with oxygen, or other free oxygencontaining gases employed for blowing gas generators.

. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a water gas generating apparatus, the

combination with a generator and means for supplying steam to the generator during the gas making period, of means for supplying all of the air to the generator for the blowing period, which means comprises a pressure device for supplying air under pressure, a storage tank into which air under pressure is delivered by said pressure device, an outlet nozzle through which air from said tank is discharged into said generator to supply air during the blowing period, and said generator having an opening provided with an open outer end into which said nozzle projects and through which atmospheric air is drawn by the action of the air discharged from the nozzle to provide the entire volume of air during the blowing period.

2. In a water-gas generating apparatus including a water gas generator adapted to receive steam during the gas making period, a carburetor and a pipe connection between said generator and carburetor, the combination of air pressure means for supplying air under pressure, means for blowing the generator during the blowing period including an air injector having a discharge nozzle connected with said air pressure means for supplying air under pressure, and a nozzle in the pipe connection between said generator and carburetor and connected to said air pressure means, said nozzle being directed toward the carburetor.

3. In combination with a water-gas generating apparatus including a water gas generator adapted to receive steam during the gas making period, and a carburetor c011- nected to the generator to receive gas therefrom, of air pressure means for supplying air under pressure, an air injector including an air nozzle and a conduit open to the at-, mosphere at one end with said nozzle directed into the open end of the conduit for blowing said carburetor, an air nozzle within the connection between said generator and carburetor and directed in the direction of the flow of gas from the generator to the carburetor, and piping connecting said noz zle with said air pressure means for supplying air under pressure.

4:. In a water gas generating apparatus, a carburetor, a water gas generator adapted to receive steam during the gas making period, an air compressor, a storage tank into which air under pressure is delivered by said air compressor, an outlet nozzle through which air from said tank is discharged into said generator to supply air during the blowing period, apipe opening into the generator and having an open outer end into which said nozzle projects and through which atmospheric air is drt wn by the action of the air discharged from the nozzle to provide the entire volume of air during the blowing period, a second outlet nozzle through which air from said tank is discharged into the carburetor, a pipe opening into the carburetor and having an open outer end into which said second nozzle projects and through which atmopheric air is drawn by the action of the air discharged from said second nozzle, and an air nozzle extending into the gas flow from the generator to the carburetor and directed in the direction of said fiow to discharge air under pressure into the carburetor and thus accelerate the flow of gas from the generator to the carburetor.

In testimony whereof I affix mv signature.

FRANK W. S'TEERE. 

